Tuesday, January 24, 2017

The Burmese Army are afraid of this

In the past few months, the Burmese Army has got away with killing, raping and torturing Rohingya villagers, burning their villages, made mass arrests, and driven tens of thousands from their homes.

At the same time, the NLD-led government has denied these abuses are taking place, despite all the evidence, and have kept in place the laws and policies from the previous government which are used to persecute the Rohingya and deny their human rights.

Human rights organisations in Burma and around the world have united in a call for the United Nations to set up a Commission of Inquiry into what is going on. A UN Inquiry can report the truth and propose steps the Burmese government must take to end the abuses.

Burma Campaign UK and other human rights organisations believe the human rights violations by the Burmese Army and government meet the legal definition of crimes against humanity. Some legal studies say they could even meet the definition of genocide.

In recent years the Burmese Army has tried to present itself as a changed organisation supporting reform. They don't want a UN Inquiry exposing how they are violating international law.

The British government is currently considering whether or not to back a UN Inquiry. If they did, they would be the first country to do so. It would be a major step forward.